Now and again, you come across a work of art that teaches you a little more about life, or in this case, death. Did I heavily relate to the main character, Alice? Did I at times feel incredibly called out? Maybe…

R. F. Kuang is incredibly talented and very much a writer I admire. This book is so many things: a satirical commentary on academia, a love story, a coming of age and at times, a horror so grotesque that it circles back around to being funny again. You will experience frustration and laughter, despair and purpose.

I did not know what Katabasis meant when I bought this book. I learned the definition is to journey through hell, so the title is quite literal. But by the end, you wonder if you have really been journeying with Alice through the stages of grief. If life has ever veered you into hopelessness, this book will meet you at the depths and give you the candid, dark humour required to drag yourself out of it. 

Thank you, R.F. Kuang, for bringing this beautiful story into the world!

At the time of reading this book, I discovered another gem, “Sweet Heat Lightning”, by Gregory Alan Isakov. I feel a deep joy and freedom when I listen to this song, and though I did not pay much attention to the lyrics at the time, it popped into my head after reading the final scene of Katabasis. The subconscious is a wonderful thing because this song deals with similar themes to the book, and it is a gorgeous soundtrack to the ending of our journey with Alice.